Andi Whiskey
Audio By Carbonatix
The Mile High is home to a lot of standout sandwiches, and the topic has become hot lately, with the long-awaited debut of Japanese-style egg salad sandos at U.S. 7-Eleven locations, and the ongoing viral moment for chicken Caesar wraps — and sandwiches.
But according to the Michelin Guide, a Mexican restaurant in Denver is serving one of the top sandwiches in the country. The company recently released its list of the Best Sandwiches in North America, and among the seven picks is one from Colorado: the pambazo de carnitas at La Diabla.
Jose Avila’s Ballpark restaurant became a Michelin Bib Gourmand pick in 2023 and is best known for its tacos and pozole, but the Michelin Guide praises this particular menu item, described as “French bread dipped in a guajillo chile salsa roja and cooked on a griddle, with a filling of avocado, pico de gallo and carnitas.”
According to the Michelin inspectors, “This sandwich is excellent, the exterior lightly crispy, with the distinct toasty flavor of the chile, and the carnitas inside are tender, juicy and flavorful, enhanced by savory brown bits. It’s flavorful, displays good technique and uses quality ingredients.”
“I started making pambazo at X’Tabai Yucateco,” says Avila, referring to his former food truck. When he opened La Diabla, fans asked him to bring the sandwich back. It’s a less common order than other La Diabla dishes, but Avila is happy that the sandwich is now getting some well-deserved recognition.
Philip Poston
“Pambazo is a traditional dish, mainly from Mexico City,” he explains, adding that it’s commonly enjoyed in connection with Mexican Independence Day, because its green, white and red hues represent the colors of the Mexican flag.
It starts with a bolillo roll, which is made in-house. The bread is then dunked in red-hued guajillo salsa before being deep-fried until crispy in a comal using pork fat. After that, it’s filled with various toppings; the carnitas version featured by Michelin includes pico de gallo, avocado and lettuce, but any of La Diala’s proteins can be ordered on a pambazo for $17.
Two years ago, Avila recalls, one of his cooks suggested making a pambazo costra-style, or with a cheese crust, an option for La Diabla’s tacos. That was “pretty frickin’ good,” he says, so that remains an option on the menu today for a $3 upcharge. Each pambazo at La Diabla is served with cheese-stuffed jalapenos and smashed potatoes on the side.
We recommend visiting La Diabla during happy hour (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, all day Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday) for a pambazo fix paired with a $7 margarita, or agave spirit flights starting at $20.
La Diabla Pozole y Mezcal is located at 2233 Larimer Street and is open from 3 to 9 p.m. Monday, 3 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. For more information, visit ladiabladenver.com.
